Sweet Deception Regency 07 - The Divided Hearts (29 page)

“It was disgusting! There was shouting near
the house and he threw me on the ground. I struggled but he was too
strong for me. Then he reached up and he t-tore my dress. And
he-he,” she paused and the body of men leaned forward in
anticipation. “And he kissed me!”

There was a burst of shouting, half angry
and half disappointed, and the men milled around in confusion.
Beneath the uproar, Judith caught Nate’s quietly drawled tones.

“Very nice touch.”

She glared at him in warning, gripped by
terror that he might yet be discovered. Love flooded her senses and
she forced herself to look away from the shining emotion in his
eyes. Her fingers tingled with a desire to caress him. She hated
being this close to him and still unable to touch him. She ought to
move away but until the men left, she was rooted to the spot, her
dress covering the blood on the floor.

“Which way did he go?”

The shout brought her back to the business
at hand. “When you started pounding on the front door, he released
me. He shoved open the gate to the lane, but before it closed I saw
him take off in the direction of the Parade.”

With much pushing and shoving, the men
surged into the garden. They raced toward the back gate with Zeke
shouting orders from the doorway. He took a step forward, then
turned to Judith who was drooping in exhaustion beside Nate’s
chair.

“I’m grateful you’re safe, Miss Judith,” he
said abruptly. “We’ll catch the blackguard.”

None of the remaining occupants of the room
moved until the sound of the angry mob faded into the distance.
Then calmly Simon closed the French doors, pulling the draperies to
shut out the night. When he turned back to the young couple, his
face shone with pride.

“My dear,” he said, his voice choked with
emotion. He opened his arms and Judith threw herself on his chest,
weeping with reaction at their narrow escape. Finally he pushed her
away, smiling down into her tearful face. At a slight cough from
the chair, they both swung around to Nate.

With a cry, Judith was at the side of the
injured man. “Oh, Nate, your wound! We’ll attend to it
immediately.”

“I’d appreciate that, my love,” Nate said.
“But even before that, might I request a favor?”

“Anything, Nate.”

“Will you promise me, that no matter the
provocation, you will never again rend your garments in a roomful
of men.”

Nate grinned as Judith’s hands flew to her
torn bodice. He observed the flush of color that rose from her
creamy breasts and sighed in resignation as she hastily tied the
torn pieces of her dress to cover the expanse of skin. Simon’s
laughter boomed in the room and even Judith smiled through her
embarrassment.

“You’ll have to admit that it was convincing
evidence,” she gloated.

“My heart is not strong enough for evidence
such as that,” Nate moaned.

Judith was all concern as she knelt on the
floor at his feet. “Oh, Nate, is it terribly painful?”

“Not anymore,” he replied, taking her hand
and raising it to his lips. His eyes searched hers. Finding the
answer he sought, he tenderly kissed the back of her hand.

“Can you ever forgive me for doubting you,
Nate?”

“I fear, darling girl, we both have much to
forgive.” His eyes twinkled. “It will take a very long time. But if
we work very hard, I am assured of success.”

“There’s nothing for it, Nate,” Judith said
resignedly. “I shall just have to remain in America.”

Nate’s eyebrows were bunched on his forehead
and there was a grave, questioning light in his blue eyes. “Will
you mind a great deal?” he asked.

“No, my dear. I had already decided,” she
assured him.

“I’ve been such an idiot, Judith,” Nate
groaned. “I knew you had come to a decision at the Fourth of July
party. But I thought you had decided to return to England. I was
convinced that we only had that one evening of happiness.”

“We were both at such cross purposes. I was
convinced that
you
were planning to return
to England.” She grabbed his hand, rubbing it against her cheek.
“Oh, Nate, it’s still so hard to think of you as Palatine. I was so
angry with myself the night you kissed me. And so confused. I
couldn’t understand why I had almost let you make love to me.
Palatine kissed me and I wanted it to be you.”

“From the moment I saw you that first day at
the wharf, I had wanted to kiss you.”

“I love you, Nate,” Judith said.

“And I love you, Judith.”

Nate stroked her tumbled hair, then cupping
the back of her head, he pulled her forward. His mouth touched hers
in a featherlight caress. As the kiss deepened, a fire ignited
between them. His tongue probed between her parted lips and he
groaned at the speed of his arousal. He pushed her away with a
shaking hand.

“We will have to be married immediately,”
Nate said sternly to the passion-flushed girl.

“I should certainly hope so!” Simon’s voice
boomed from the doorway. In their preoccupation with each other,
they had totally forgotten about him. Unnoticed he had left the
room, returning with water, medicine and bandages. “Move aside, you
teasing hussy, while I attend to our hero’s injuries.”

With their help, Nate was eased out of his
jacket. Judith gasped at the sight of the blood-stained shirt,
earning a glare from her father. He ripped the sleeve, baring
Nate’s arm to the shoulder. Although Judith felt lightheaded at the
sight of the mangled flesh, she uttered no sound. She could not
give in to missish behavior when the man she loved needed her.
Determinedly she snatched the cloth from Simon’s hand. Fighting
down her nausea, she bathed the wound with infinite care until she
was satisfied that it was clean.

“I’ll ride out to Dr. Case’s tomorrow
morning,” Simon announced, despite the grimace of the patient.
“He’ll want to take a look at you. For tonight, you’ll stay here.
In your condition, there’s too much risk in your trying to go home.
Lord knows if those bully boys are still roaming the streets.”

Blowing a white powder into the wound, Simon
pressed a cloth pad across the area. He tied the covering in place
with strips of linen that Judith handed him. Finished, he patted
the white-faced Nate on the leg and reached for the bottle of
brandy. He poured three glasses and passed them around. Silently
the three raised their glasses.

“To America,” Simon said.

“America,” Judith and Nate echoed.

While the men drank, Judith bustled around
the room, removing the evidence of Nate’s injury. She was still
frightened that the angry mob might return so she attempted to
restore the room to normalcy.

Her father had brought down a brocade
smoking jacket to cover Nate’s bloody shirt. By the time he was
dressed, his skin was covered with perspiration. His dark head
rested against the chair back and his eyes were closed. Judith and
Simon had decided not to move Nate until he had recovered a little
of his strength. She covertly eyed him as she removed the blood
spot on the floor. He had lost a great deal of blood and she still
did not like the ashen color beneath his tanned skin. Despite his
extreme pallor, Nate looked more himself in the ornate belted
jacket, a pristine white silk scarf flowing from the open neckline.
His ever-present quizzing glass dangled from his neck, the
definitive fashion note to his ensemble.

When the room was straightened, Judith sank
into a chair pulled up to the others. Her body was exhausted but
her energy was still keeping her at a fever pitch. For Simon’s
benefit, first Nate and then Judith told of their night’s
adventures. At the end of the recitals there were many questions
still to be answered.

“Didn’t you get my warning message?” Judith
asked Nate.

“No. I didn’t get back from Boston until
late this afternoon. I never went up to the house. One of the colts
had injured his leg and I spent all of my time at the stables. As
soon as it was dark I left. I had several people to meet.” Nate’s
voice was firm and deep, reflecting his returning strength. “But I
was a little concerned about the informant. He had appeared less
than trustworthy when I first talked to him so I arrived early. I
was already in place when Zeke and his ruffians arrived.”

“Thank God, you were,” Simon exclaimed.
“When I arrived home, Judith told me her story and I tried to get a
message through to you.”

“Oh, Father,” Judith laughed. “It’s a wonder
we didn’t all run into each other.”

“I snabbled Timothy before he and Mrs. Baker
went home for the day,” Simon continued. “When he got to
Tregonwell, you were already gone. I even debated giving Patrick a
message when he went to stay at the Finney’s. Decided the less
people who knew, the less risk.” Then he grinned across at Nate.
“Besides I was counting on your innate ability to keep out of
trouble.”

“Is that why you waited up, lights blazing
into the garden?” Nate cocked an inquiring eyebrow at the older
man. His voice was gruff as he said, “It was a most welcome signal,
friend.”

To cover his emotion, Simon changed the
subject. “Do I assume that I may wish you happy?”

Nate grasped Judith’s hand in his as he
smiled at Simon. “Need I do the pretty and hurl myself at the feet
of your daughter? In my present condition I fear the exertion might
put a crimp in my plans for the wedding night.”

“Nathanael!” Judith shrieked. A blush of
color tinted her cheeks and she glowered at Simon who was doubled
over in laughter.

“Sorry, my dear,” Nate said, but there was
no sign of repentance in his laughing face. “Will you marry
me?”

“Yes,” Judith answered breathlessly.

“Thank God,” Nate said with feeling.
“Although, after your acting performance tonight, I almost feel
guilty robbing the London theatre of such a rare talent.”

“England’s loss, shall be America’s
gain.”

“Wait until I write your grandmother, Nate,”
Simon crowed, wiping the tears from his eyes. “Letty will be
delighted even if it does cost her a pretty penny.”

“Father! Did you two have some kind of
wager?”

Judith stared at her father through narrowed
eyes and even Nate looked surprised. Simon held up his hands,
slightly embarrassed at his loose tongue.

“Now, children,” he said placatingly. “It
was years ago. Why I’d practically forgotten that I ever made such
a bet.”

“Coming it a bit too brown, Simon,” Nate
drawled.

“All right. I’ll confess all. It was the
year you were up at Cambridge. I was in London and ran into Letty
at some squeeze or another. She was still under the opinion that
you might return to take up your duties in England.” Simon could
not help the slight smirk that curved his mouth. “She was convinced
she could act as matchmaker between you two.”

“And that was the bet?” Judith asked in
surprise.

“Well, no,” Simon said. “The bet was on
where you would live. I picked America.”

In the stunned silence that followed, Judith
and Nate stared at the smug figure in the wing chair. As if on cue
the threesome began to chuckle until laughter reverberated around
the room. Still laughing, Simon left, telling them he would make
sure the spare bedroom was ready. Judith rose, moving to Nate’s
side. She touched his hair, her fingers sliding into the thick
black mat.

“I will marry you on two conditions,
Nathanael,” she said sternly. “You must promise never to powder
your hair and, more important, you must never bet with father.”

“Agreed.”

Judith squealed as Nate pulled her into his
lap. She was afraid to struggle for fear of hurting his shoulder
but as she looked up into his beloved face all desire to fight
disappeared. She reached up, circling his neck with her arms and
pulled his head down until their mouths nearly touched. His warm
breath fanned her cheek, and her body pulsed with the hot throb of
passion.

Against her breast, Nate’s heart beat
strongly. She tightened her arms, suddenly frightened by the
dangers ahead. She knew when war came, she would suffer with the
torn friendships and the renewed struggle with England. But she and
Nate would be together, helping to build the destiny of her adopted
country. Where once their hearts had been divided love would bind
them together forever.

THE END

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Karla Darcy lives with her husband, several
tame geckos and an occasional friendly snake on the Treasure Coast
on the east side of Florida. She has always felt she lived in the
Regency period in a past life. Her early writings were musical
comedies and humor columns so it was an easy transition to the
romantic and humorous style of Regencies. Lovely dresses, masked
balls and witty conversations which contained saucy double
entendres were the perfect cup of tea for this author.